Look At These Rare Photos Of Revolutionary War Veterans Who Lived Long Enough To Have Their Photos Taken

The Revolutionary War ended in 1783, but photography was not created until the 1820’s and 1830’s. It was rare for veterans of the Revolutionary War to have their picture taken since many of them died before photography was invented.

Luckily, there were several veterans who defied old age and lived long enough to have their photographs taken.

Reverend E. B. Hillard and two photographers embarked on a trip through New England in 1864 to visit, photograph, and interview six surviving veterans of the Revolutionary War. At the time, the men all were over 100 years old at the time their photograph was taken. Their photos were then placed inside a book which was titled, The Last Men of the Revolution.

In 1976, investigative reporter, Joe Bauman came across Hillard’s photos and set out to find more photographs of Revolutionary War veterans that might have gotten their picture taken sometime in between the invention of photography and when Hillard took photographs of six known survivors of the Revolutionary War.

Bauman spent thirty years compiling what is now the biggest collection of daguerreotypes for veterans of the Revolutionary War.

He found and identified eight more portraits of veterans of the Revolutionary War.

Here are the six photographs of Hillards:

Hutchings enlisted at age 15 for the coastal defense in New York but was taken prisoner by the British during the Siege of Castine. He was released because the British thought he was too young to be held captive.

Downing enlisted at age 16, and served as a private from New Hampshire.

Cook was at the British surrender of Yorktown

In March 1779, Waldo was taken prisoner by the British at Horseneck.

After his released, he returned to his farm again.

Alexander Milliner enlisted as a drummer boy who served in Gen. Washington’s Life Guard unit and often played at his request. He was at the British surrender of Yorktown.